Often when we plan a vacation, especially online, we’re stuck deciding on a hotel located in a city that we don’t know. The surprises that can come from picking a hotel miles from the center of town, or perched over a noisy highway, can be avoided with simple and basic research. Keep reading for great travel tips that will help you pick a hotel for your next vacation.

First, look at a map of the city that you’re visiting. Try to pinpoint the tourist destinations that you’ll be visiting. By having an approximation of the area and a general idea of your itinerary, you can make a more educated choice about your hotel location. A number of online map resources will also let you search for hotels in the proximity of a certain area. For example, you should be able to search for “hotels” near “The Eiffel Tower.”

The second thing you should do is call the hotel yourself. Don’t always depend on the online descriptions. Pick up the phone and speak with someone, be sure to ask about amenities, what’s included, and what’s available in the surrounding area. You’ll not only get a first-hand look into the hotel, but also an idea of how friendly the staff is.

If you’re unsure about a hotel, try checking the regional guidebooks. Whether you purchase them, browse through them in the bookstore, or check them out of your local library, guidebooks can be a great way to get a first-hand testimonial of a hotel experience, as well as ideas about possible uncovered gems.

Finally, read online reviews and fellow traveler testimonials. These will give you a great insight into the experience, and should help you make your decision.

Remember, planning a vacation is fun, but you should always be diligent.

How To Look For Great Deal Of Pattaya Hotel Booking

For many people who have ever been to Thailand. It is quite normal that they have to visit Pattaya, the famous city in eastern region. It has great reputation for its beach and nightlife attraction. Of course when you go travel place which has great reputation, there will be a lot of hotel accommodation to choose and Pattaya is not exception. You may choose from very cheap guest house to luxurious five stars hotels.

However, one question has been raised that is about how to get the best price or the best deal of accommodation. According to the fact that when you think about booking hotel, I believe that almost everyone may think about booking online. Booking hotel online is the most convenient way that can be found in present day. However, there is a very strong competitive situation in this market so you should be careful on selecting hotel accommodation as well as the website agent for travel and accommodation booking.

Pattaya may not much different than any other city in the world, being the city of tourist so it is quite normal to have large number of hotel accommodation. Therefore, it is quite necessary to find to way to get the best deal for your hotel accommodation.

According to the fact that many people love to find booking for hotel accommodation from the internet. As in Thailand, from my own experience, it is quite normal that travel agency usually offer a little bit lower price than what are offered on the internet. Particularly for hotel booking site that has global networks. However, it is still necessary to find the reliable travel agent or hotel booking agent that can give you a trustful service.

As mentioned in the first paragraph that Pattaya is the top city for travelers, so the accommodation also vary. However, it is quite difficult for international guests to contact local travel agent. So they tend to use the internet booking service from international supplier. But for some one who may already have connection with local travel agent can get cheaper rate.

Also, the rate of hotel in Pattaya also very depends on the location, apart from the type of the hotel itself. If it is located on the beach side or the price may be has higher price than ones in the city. If you want to book your hotel through the website, just looking for the website that be able to provide full address and location map of the hotel so you can compare the price versus the location of the hotel.

Another thing that you have to be very careful when choosing resource for hotel booking, it is sometimes the rate of the booking website is not the same rate that the hotel actually charge you. For example, I had experience on booking online for USD150 per night but when I have arrived the hotel, I was told that the company have to pay 170 to the hotel, which is the contract rate for them and the hotel ask guest to pay for the company to be able to check out!!

How to Get Free Money and Hotel Rooms from the Casinos

Complaining:
Casinos want to take your money, even if you are not rich and only come to the casino with 50 pounds to play the nickel slots the casinos want your money, and if you complain about something they will offer you at the very least a free meal in one of the casinos restaurants just to make you happy. The louder you complain the more you will usually get, but make sure no to get to loud or they will have you removed for making a scene in the casino.

Pretend to be a Big Shot:
Have a friend call the casino and tell them that he is your personal assistant and he is looking to stay in the casino but he has some requests. If the casino believes you are calling for someone who may spend a large amount of money in the casino they may give you a free room, stock the bar with anything you request from 1,000 pound bottles of Champaign to bowls of only the blue M&M candies.

Play Drunk:
Casinos love to give players drinks. This is because it makes them more willing to spend more money and it also makes them make poor decisions. The problem with this is that if you get into a drunken driving accident the casino can be found liable and it can cost the casinos millions in lawsuits and settlements. So if you are looking to try to get a free room for the night just pretend to be really drunk at a table and if you play it good enough you will have someone come and offer you a free room.

Reward Programs:
If you want the casinos to give you free things you do not have to try and scam them, all you really have to do is lose a lot of money. The more money you lose to the casinos the more player points they will give you towards free meals and room deals, and if you come often enough you will find the casino sending you vouchers for a free night at the casino and if you use it they will send you another every month until the first time you do not use it. To get these things just look for the reward program desk at the casino, they all have one and it is usually easy to find. Then all you have to do is give your card to the dealer when you first sit at a table and every bet win and lose is recorded on the card and the more you bet the more points you get, and when you lose you get even more points.

Know What You are Getting:
Make sure you know if you are getting a freebie or if you are expected to pay it back. I have seen people accept a line of credit from the casino, but they thought they were being given a freebie, it was only after spending over 1,000 pounds that he realized what had happened. Also a casino may ask you if you would like a room for the night make sure before you accept the room that it is a free room. Sometimes the casinos will ask a player if he is staying at the hotel and if they are not they will ask if you would like to this is NOT an offer of a free room, but many people think it is until they check out in the morning and have to pay a 200 room bill.

Casinos give away thousands of pounds in freebies away everyday, and if you want a piece of it all you have to do is know how to ask.

You need to ASK if you want a discount. Here are ways to do it:

* Search the internet, look for great deals. There are various types of hotels that offer great discounts on the web for online customers. Be sure to check these out.

* Plan your trip during the off season months. These are the times when big discounts are given.

* Call the hotel of your choice. Ask them about offers and discounts that they can give. List all promotions.

* Certain hotels can give discounts to credit card holders of certain card establishments. Ask for the manager and ask him about it. The manager is the best person to ask, since if you can make negotiations, he has the authority to make negotiations with you.

* Ask if they give discounts to students or senior citizens.

* Simply ask through the phone how can you qualify for a discount. If at certain day of the week or at certain times of the year they give discounts, ask them about it and ask how much or how less can they give, then ask if you could get still a higher discount. Usually at off peak seasons, hotels will be willing to give in, just to fill the empty rooms.

* Ask for certain packages. Hotels usually offer rooms with free breakfast.

* Do name drop. If you know of someone who frequently stays them, mention his name. It can help. Tell them your friend referred you to them and ask for a discount. Don’t ever give up if they say no. A statement like “is that the best you can do?” can encourage a big discount.

* Often, people in the military get good hotel rates. Usually, discounts are offered to government employees.

* At off peak seasons, you could definitely ask for special rates. Then if they don’t budge after you have offered a discount, ask some extras, like breakfast.

* When negotiating, it is very important to write down all agreed discussions. Write too, the names of the persons that you have been talking to, the time as well as the day and date. Ask for a number that you can call before checking in to the hotel for confirmation.

* Upon arrival to the hotel, look around and ask for negotiations once more. For instance if you feel that the hotel is not fully booked, ask for a room with a better view than the one you are in, if you don’t agree with what you see.

Enjoy your stay!